New Port Richey Police Chief Kim Bogart to resign

Another Tampa Bay police chief is stepping down.

Driving the news: New Port Richey's city manager announced at a City Council meeting Tuesday night that Police Chief Kim Bogart is retiring later this month, Creative Loafing reports.

• Bogart did not give a reason for his departure at the meeting, but told Axios that after four decades on the force, he's more than ready to retire.
• "There's never a good time to retire if you do the job I do, but I've thought about this for quite some time," he said Wednesday.

Context: Bogart has recently faced criticism for publicly defending his officers in a series of controversial incidents over the last three years.

• In November, Bogart was asked to appear before City Council to address a list of incidents, including an officer who made a Holocaust joke in a Jewish woman's home and one who posed in front of a confederate flag, Creative Loafing's Justin Garcia reported. Bogart defended each claim.
• Marlowe Jones — a Black Lives Matter leader who is suing the city after he was found not guilty of battery on a law enforcement officer — has spoken out against Bogart in City Council meetings.

What he's saying: Bogart told Axios the timing of his resignation has nothing to do with previous reports on the department.

• "I'm not intimidated by any of that stuff that's been said. … Honestly, that has no bearing on my decision to retire."

The intrigue: Bogart's resignation comes roughly a month after Tampa's police chief Mary O'Connor was asked to resign.

• O'Connor swiftly stepped down after Garcia's reporting unearthed bodycam footage of the then-chief showing her badge and asking for leniency during a traffic stop.

What's ahead: Bogart's last day will be Jan. 27. The city hasn't yet shared details about its search for a new chief.